


LotR gen drabbles

by sophinisba



Category: Lord of the Rings (Movies), Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Canon Compliant, Captivity, Double Drabble, Drabble, Early Work, Gen, Hobbits, Hurt/Comfort, My First Fanfic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2005-06-09
Updated: 2009-07-14
Packaged: 2017-11-01 17:27:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 1,050
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/359414
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sophinisba/pseuds/sophinisba





	1. At the Lockholes

It wasn’t her age, thank you very much. And she had never been weak. The lack of food had had an effect, it was true, and the darkness was disorienting. But that wasn’t what did her in. 

He was less than half her age, four years younger than her Lotho, even, and had always seemed much younger.

But as he looked at her now she saw a look of such age and experience, such wisdom, and also pity, that Lobelia’s stubborn strength finally abandoned her. She took a deep breath, leaned on Frodo’s arm, and staggered out into the light.

* * *

"My son," she whispered, standing still and staring at him as her eyes adjusted to the sunlight. Frodo smiled sadly and tried to guide her towards a waiting carriage. She glimpsed Peregrin Took tending to the ruin of Fredegar Bolger, and wondered if she looked as destroyed.

"Come, Aunt, we must get you some food and rest," said Frodo, and then she realized what she'd meant. 

Not that fool she had raised, who had bargained the Shire away for the privilege of being lied to. She wasn't asking for him. 

Frodo needn't understand, though. "My son," she called him again.


	2. Before the Scouring

The view of Bywater as they ride down makes Merry catch his breath; valley, village, and pool are spread out below them like a body split open, bleeding, silently screaming. Merry sees smoke rising and thinks of Pellenor Fields, of all the men and orcs who fell before his eyes. He thinks of Pippin and Frodo and Sam at Cormallen, how he watched over them after the last battle, fearing every breath could be their last. It didn't seem possible then that their bodies could recover from such damage. It doesn't seem possible for the Shire to recover from this.

But here is Pippin beside him, and Frodo and Sam just behind. Frodo gasps at the sight, but they keep riding. Merry himself is tall and strong; he barely feels anymore the wound that threatened to finish him. With time and love, with effort, with some painful setbacks, they've all grown stronger in the last months, and the healing isn't over. So now they have work to do, and perhaps one more battle to fight. The ruffians will make trouble, but Merry is certain the hobbits will triumph. And after that, the land and the people can begin to heal.


	3. Pippin's breathing is painful...

Pippin's breathing is painful, Merry can see, though Pippin cannot speak.

Frodo and Sam's breathing is painful for a different reason.

Once they wake up --and all three of them wake up within two days-- they're on their feet immediately. Merry marvels at such quick recovery after two weeks when nothing seemed to improve at all. He walks close to Pippin and keeps expecting his cousin to lean on him, to need him; but Pippin's stride is steady, his face is full of laughter, as always, and Merry feels guilty that he can't stop feeling sad. Frodo and Sam lean on each other, and Merry feels altogether useless.

Then Pip slips a hand in his and whispers, "He's found his then. Time for you to have yours," and kisses him on the mouth.

Sam and Frodo stop and stare, and Merry can see Frodo's slight smile even before Pippin releases him with a grin.

"Hadn't you two ever gotten around to that before, in all your adventures?" Frodo asks.

Pippin is happy and so Merry should be. Frodo is happy enough to make Merry's heart ache.

"Plenty of adventures to come," he says softly, thoughtfully, and kisses Pippin back.


	4. I do not wish for any sword...

"I do not wish for any sword," said Frodo.  
  
"Tonight at least you should wear one," said Gandalf.  
  
Frodo hesitated for only a moment and then spoke firmly. "No, Gandalf," he said. "Let those who had to carry arms in this fight carry them again tonight, and let them be honored for it, but this was not my part. I had to carry only the Ring," _and failed even at that_ , he thought, as words suddenly abandoned him again.  
  
" _Only_ the Ring", Gandalf spoke softly, as if to himself.  
  
"All I mean to say, Gandalf, is that I did not use either of these swords, I never struck a blow to man or orc, and even so I managed to carry out the task. I want this part of the tale to be known, that there are other weapons against evil than sword or bow or axe. That there are other ways of…" He stopped, and looked up at his old friend, who was nodding and smiling slightly but with a sadness in his face that Frodo found almost overwhelming. "But I don't have to work so hard to explain things to you, do I, Gandalf? You understand?"  
  
"Yes, Frodo."


	5. A True Friend

As a child Merry didn't like loud noises, but he cheered for Gandalf's fireworks because Frodo did, and Merry wanted to like the things Frodo liked.

Merry didn't talk about Bilbo's ring because he knew Frodo liked thinking his secret was safe.

Merry turned a faithful servant into a spy. Merry moved Frodo's things halfway across the Shire to keep up the pretense of Crickhollow for another two days. Merry lied to Pippin's parents and his own. He lied to Frodo's face.

At Rivendell Gandalf narrowed his eyes, puffed on his pipe, and said, "We could use one like you."


	6. Storing Up for Winter

"Pop and me used to help out with the stores down here," Azalea whispered in Pansy's ear, "since we lived so close. Most of the work was after harvest but I remember I came down one day in July, and I thought I might lay down and die here. The air didn't move at all. Felt like I was baking in an underground oven."

"That must have been _glorious_ ," Pansy said, and when she laughed her breath was pleasantly warm on Azalea's cheek, if only for a moment.

They were almost sure it was November. They were absolutely sure today was colder than yesterday. They were not at all sure how many more days they could take. But then again, they didn't have any choice. So in the dark they traded stories of hot summer days and held each other tight, and promised they wouldn't let go until they were free.


End file.
